In its ongoing markup tonight of the Affordable Health Choices Act, the House Energy and Commerce Committee just passed–by a vote of 30 to 28–an amendment offered by Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA) that appears to protect the ability of private insurance plans to provide coverage for abortion care, whether or not other aspects of the plan receive government subsidies. Funding would be segregated.

The vote was largely along party lines, with 6 Democrats lead by Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak, of the Democratic Pro-life Caucus, leading the charge to defeat the amendment.